Premium

‘Crimes against Humanity’: 53 Top Indian physicists condemn attacks on Iranian and Palestinian universities

Indian academics raised concerns over the West Asia conflict, flagging 'long-term harm to the future of education and research'.

iran minab schoolGraves being prepared for those killed in a US-Israeli strike on a girls’ school in Minab, Iran. The UN Human Rights office has called for an investigation into the incident. (Reuters)

Top Indian string theorists recently shared a statement of solidarity with academics and citizens of Iran, Palestine, and Lebanon in the wake of educational institutes in these countries coming under attack from the United States and Israel during the West Asia conflict. Signatories include professors from various IITs, IISERs, IISc, ICTS-TIFR, and other institutions across the country.

“Our colleagues in West Asia have been deeply affected by the recent war initiated by the United States and Israel. Universities and educational institutes in Iran, as well as Lebanon and Palestine, have been attacked during the war – including Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ school in Minab, the Pasteur Institute, Sharif University of Technology, Shahid Beheshti University, Iran University of Science and Technology, Isfahan University of Technology and the Lebanese University,” the statement says.

“These actions come on the heels of the genocide carried out by Israel in Gaza, during which almost all Universities and schools there have been destroyed. We unequivocally condemn these crimes against humanity, which will cause long-term harm to the future of education and research in these regions, apart from the tragic loss of lives,” it adds.

This is the second time in the recent past that the Indian scientific community has spoken against Israeli bombings. Last year, the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) held in Mumbai decided to suspend Israel from the event over attacks in Gaza.

“I am very proud of my colleagues in the community, who have taken a principled stand against the horrific attacks carried out by the United States and Israel. Iranian physicists are valued members of the community who have made brilliant and sustained contributions to our field. I have visited Iran many times and have been struck by the vibrancy of Iranian Universities and the hospitality and kindness of ordinary people,” Suvrat Raju, Professor at International Centre for Theoretical Science –TIFR at Bengaluru and one of the signatories of the letter, told The Indian Express.

The letter has 53 signatories, including 6 students. Some of the faculty signatories of the statement are Nirmalya Kajuri (IIT Mandi), Suresh Govindarajan (IIT Madras), P Ramadevi (IIT Bombay), Abhishek Chowdhury (IIT Bhubaneswar), Arnab Rudra (IISER Bhopal), Chethan Krishnan (IISc Bangalore), Nilay Kundu (IIT Kanpur), K Narayan (Chennai Mathematical Institute), Raju Roychowdhury (Delhi University), K P Yogendran (IISER Mohali), Aninda Sinha (IISc Bangalore), Ashoke Sen (International Centre for Theoretical Sciences – TIFR), and Shailesh Kulkarni (Savitribai Phule Pune University).

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More


Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
Advertisement
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments